The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1887-05-21
TIE INSANE ASYLUM.
Serious Charges Preferred Against us
Management.


publishes the charges preferred against
DR.. Bishop, Superintendent of the
Asylum for the Insane at Reno. The
communication covers five columns Of
that paper. The charges are preferred
by William Thompson, formerly clerk
at the Asylum, and, in substance, are
as follows:
He IS uneducated and untitled by
nature aud education for tile position.
In the discharge of his duties he Is
cruel and inhumSn to the patients, re-
sorting to punishment of the most re-
voting anu inhuInan character.
He Is Deglectful of lis duties as
Superintendent.
de- has Incorporated and appro-
priated to his own use funds and sup
pies belonging to the State.
He has conspiIed with contractors
and personal friends to the exclusion
of fair competition, thus compelling the
State TO pay exorbitant rates for sup
plies.
Tie has used bis pnsiticn to promote
his Own aud the political interests of
his FRIENDS tn the neglect OF his duties
aud to the impairment of the service
as an asylum for tue insane.
In consequence of his ignorance and
incapacity he has mismznaged the
business affairs of the asylum TO the
detriment If the interests CT the State
and to the discomfort Of the patients.
That Or. Bishop is cowardly. and
that his cowardice interferes with the
discharge of his duties as Superintend-
eni, inasmuch as he has stated that he
would not visit wards without a
guard.
The specifications recite instances az
barbarous cruelty that would disgrace
an Apache Indian, noted as they are
for implacable f,rocity. Here are two
of the least revolving related by Bisa-
ops accuser:
In the case of the patient called
Indian Dick" afflicted with demen-
tia, DR.. Bishop, for the purpose, as he
states, of waking bin up applied
the battery, and the force of the cur
rent Was SD great as TO paralyze the
patient, and he renamed IN such coz
diiion of paralysis until his death.
which occurred a few weeks thereafter
One Charles H. Sanborn is patient
Of ward II" and II man who ord;nsr-
Ily renders efficient services rs = laborer,
but who, occasionally by reason of his
mental iu6rmIiy refuses TO work. On |
me occasion il Was reported 10 DR. |
Bishop that tie said Sanbnrn hal re-
fused Ia 90 out with The either lA,urers,
Dr. Bishop ordered attend |
ants Lester g. Lo mis- and john /
Campbell To accompany him To- ward |
F, and further ordered the said al
PENDANTS To choke the said patient |
Sanborn uuiil be consented TO work
hat they thereupnn cid choke him
lniil he became black IN the lace and |
lntil his tongue protruded from his 4
mouth. DR.. Bishop Was present and /
directed and ordered the
punishment and remarked give HIM
. good ene while you are about IL"
The investigation of the above
charges has been going on at Reno be
ore the Board of Insane Commission
.rs-Goy. Stevenson. Treasurer Tufy |
md Controller HallOck for more
han week. The testimony for the |
IS all in. and if a fraction
IF it be true, DR.. Bishop should be
busted from the superintendency of
The Asylum. His own admission, that
be did not know the negative frnm
the positive pole of a battery, is very
damaging TO his cause But we pre-
FER TO wait till the evidence for the
defense is all in before passing judg-
nent ON the case. The people of the
implicit confidence in the
Board, and their verdict will be look
ID for with interest.
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